The Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project’s Laptops with Love program has donated nearly 450 laptops, helping provide community members with valuable educational and employment opportunities.
The program, which started during the COVID-19 pandemic, has recently expanded to include mobile phone donations.
Goulburn-Murray Water and Goulburn Valley Water have both been key supporters of the program, with both recently starting to donate phones.
G-MW manager information technology Peter Holland said these donations had made a massive difference.
“We initially donated 10 of our repurposed mobile phones as a trial to see if they would benefit students,” he said.
“We got some really positive feedback about how these were received, and we have since donated a further 20 mobile phones.”
GVW manager digital operations Ryan McGowan said this was a fantastic way to expand the Laptops with Love program.
“So far we’ve been able to donate more than 30 mobile phones in the trial, in addition to the 95 laptops through the program since we joined in 2022,” he said.
“We know that access to technology increases opportunities in many ways, so for us to be able to help enable more people is something we’re really proud to be able to do to support our community.”
Greater Shepparton Lighthouse Project executive officer Amy Robinson said she was pleased to see how the program had grown.
“We are delighted to now be expanding this program by providing smartphones to families and young people who struggle to afford this purchase,” she said.
Organisations interested in donating IT resources can contact Laptops with Love co-ordinator Kathy Fuller at kfuller@gslp.com.au or visit www.gslp.com.au/programs/laptop-with-love
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